Power Struggle

Though Bruce’s recent prediction had missed the mark, the trust he had built up wasn’t shallow enough to be shaken by just one failure.

“I’ll guarantee it too. We’re not in a situation where we can afford to worry about side effects anyway. The frequency of portals opening keeps increasing, and the number and quality of monsters are rising proportionally. No matter how severe the side effects of this medicine might be, they’ll be less than the damage from monsters, right?”

“If Bruce and Kasim say so.”

“Well, we have no other alternatives, so there’s no choice.”

After Bruce took the lead, the other users also expressed their agreement.

Once everyone consented, Yuseong smiled with satisfaction and opened his mouth.

“Then shall we start price negotiations?”

* * *

The competition to secure the medicine ended unexpectedly easily.

The reason was due to the limitations of the medicine’s performance.

While it had perfectly suitable effects for mass-producing ability users, conversely that was all it could do.

Unless it was an elixir that could instantly grant decades worth of internal energy or a mystic pill that could grant special skills, paying tens of millions of won for medicine with these effects would bring more losses than gains.

Additionally, with production quantities being much higher than expected, Yuseong and the users were able to reach an amicable agreement.

“The price will be 2 million won per bottle. The delivery schedule will proceed as written here. If there are any objections, please speak now.”

“……”

“Very well.”

Yuseong came down from the podium with a satisfied smile.

Just the first deal had secured enough funds to cut the gynoid production time in half and then some.

Considering future sales volumes, they could sufficiently cover not just the gynoid but also the funds needed for modifying Dragonia.

‘Now all that’s left is waiting? First I should find out how much we can reduce the timeframe…’

“Wait.”

As Yuseong was walking toward Sophia, he stopped and turned at the voice from behind him.

There stood Isaac, extending his hand with a bright smile.

“Come to think of it, we haven’t properly greeted each other yet. Let me formally introduce myself. I’m Isaac Cloud. Since we’re both users, feel free to call me by name.”

A friendly smile and gentle voice.

However, Yuseong just stared at Isaac’s eyes instead of taking his hand.

Though his face was smiling, his eyes weren’t smiling at all.

Even without the eyes, Yuseong had no desire to take Isaac’s extended hand.

‘First he criticizes me for trying to sell unverified items, for thinking about money when the world is in danger, and now he’s acting friendly? What happened to all that hostility from before?’

This was definitely not an ordinary handshake.

He must be hiding some kind of scheme.

“Could it be you don’t even want to shake hands with me?”

Seeing Isaac’s overtly disappointed expression, Yuseong narrowed his eyes.

Though he wasn’t sure what Isaac was planning, he couldn’t do anything dangerous in this setting.

If he really tried something dangerous, Yuseong judged the other users would step in before things got serious.

With that thought, Yuseong reached out and shook Isaac’s offered hand up and down.

Amid a strange tension, Isaac slowly opened his mouth.

“I saw the video of your activities in America. It was hard to believe you’ve been a user for less than a year.”

“I suppose I grow rather quickly.”

“Quick growth, is that all?”

“What else would there be?”

“Well, there could have been some manipulation. Ah, don’t misunderstand. I mean by the broadcasters or YouTubers, not you. They might have edited the footage more sensationally to boost ratings and views, exaggerating your abilities. That’s what I meant.”

Though he said that, Isaac’s face bore an overt sneer that seemed to say ‘I know the truth.’

It was an obvious provocation, but that made it no less effective.

If he backed down here, the other users would see him as someone who relied on manipulated footage for his reputation.

‘Though I don’t really care how others see me…’

Avoiding a fight that had been picked wasn’t in his nature.

Having organized his thoughts, Yuseong matched Isaac’s overt sneer and said.

“Would you like to test it?”

“No, there’s no need for that.”

“Come on, let’s verify it. I’ve also been curious about how strong other users are.”

“Hmm, shall we?”

With a look that said ‘got you,’ Isaac immediately continued, leaving no room for escape.

“Since there are people watching, direct combat would be inappropriate, and Kang Changseok’s Shadow World has too many restrictions, so let’s have a test of strength right here.”

“Fine.”

Crack!

As soon as Yuseong finished speaking, the sound of twisting bones echoed.

Yuseong wore a relaxed smile while Isaac showed a slight grimace.

Just their expressions made it clear whose hand had made that sound.

Isaac’s lips twisted.

‘Oh, look at this?’

He knew Yuseong’s strength was unusually high, but he hadn’t expected this level.

He had estimated early to mid-1000s, but at this rate it might be late 1000s, possibly approaching 2000.

It was unbelievable for a user of less than a year.

But the surprise lasted only briefly.

‘Having this level of strength is impressive, but that’s all it is.’

Though strength contests weren’t his specialty, that didn’t mean he was bad at them.

He had proposed the strength contest despite knowing Yuseong was strong because he was confident he could definitely win.

His pure strength might be in the mid-1000s, but using the power of skills and items, he could momentarily raise it to the late 2000s.

‘I can easily subdue a monkey that doesn’t know its place.’

A cruel smile spread across Isaac’s lips.

Though he couldn’t cross the line with the users watching, he planned to at least crack some bones.

However, that confidence didn’t last long.

Crunch!

A sound incomparable to anything before.

Isaac’s hand, twisted like it had been put in a compressor, was flushed red as if about to burst.

Though he didn’t groan, his pale face revealed how much pain he was in.

In contrast, Yuseong’s face remained perfectly calm as if nothing was happening.

‘What an idiot.’

Yuseong’s current strength was 3,561 points.

Just in pure strength he was over 500 points higher than Isaac, and Tyrant’s arms could reduce impact by up to 99%.

The outcome had been decided from the moment Isaac proposed the strength contest.

‘Since the users are watching, I should wrap this up… Hm?’

About to finish things, Yuseong paused at the magic power transmitted through his palm.

Palm, arm, and shoulder.

Realizing the magic power would spread throughout his body at this rate, Yuseong hurriedly drew magic power and internal energy from his heart and dantian to push back Isaac’s magic power.

‘Has this bastard lost his mind?’

A small vein popped up on Yuseong’s forehead.

Though he didn’t know why Isaac was going this far, he had crossed the line.

Eyes half-open, Yuseong used Infinite Origin Force to convert magic power and spirit power into internal energy, then released it at full power.

Total of 2,100 points of internal energy.

With Infinite Origin Force’s 50% internal energy effect boost, the effectively 3,150 points of internal energy instantly drove out the invading magic power and poured into Isaac’s body.

“Kuhak!”

Isaac, who had been trembling, let out a death cry and collapsed to the ground.

Spitting blood from his mouth and nose, Isaac raised his head with a twisted expression.

Sensing the dangerous atmosphere, Yuseong tried to step back, but Isaac’s movements were even faster.

The moment Isaac’s hand touched the scabbard at his waist, a pure white flash fell toward Yuseong’s crown.

An absolute sword strike as fast as light.

However, there was something that moved even faster.

“I think that’s enough testing of strength.”

Bruce, who had approached unnoticed, caught the sword Isaac had swung.

Isaac tried his hardest to pull out the sword, but caught between Bruce’s thumb and index finger, it didn’t budge an inch as if firmly glued in place.

“Let go! Let go of this! You filthy…”

“Do you want to die?”

When Bruce’s flat voice flowed out, Isaac flinched as if struck by lightning.

After a moment of silence, Isaac’s face returned from fierce demon to handsome youth. Taking out a handkerchief from somewhere to wipe his blood, he opened his mouth.

“Ahem, I apologize. It wasn’t intentional. As Bruce knows, I’m a bit hot-tempered, aren’t I?”

“Not intentional, you say. Well, let’s say that’s true.”

“Han Yuseong. I apologize to you too. I only meant to do a light test, but I got too caught up in the competition.”

“I’m not sure if drawing a sword to split someone’s head can be called getting caught up in competition, but since you say you’re hot-tempered, I suppose that could be the case. I’ll forgive you.”

“…Thank you.”

Isaac left the conference room without looking back.

He wasn’t thick-skinned enough to stay in front of others after showing such an embarrassing display of being pushed back by someone who hadn’t even been a user for a year.

After confirming Isaac had left, Yuseong let out a faint sigh, careful not to let others notice.

Though he acted calm on the outside, the exhaustion from releasing all his internal energy at once was far from light.

‘So this is Three Intermediates.’

Though his momentary output had been higher, Isaac had been superior in every other aspect.

Even pouring out 3,150 points of internal energy hadn’t dealt much damage, and the sword strike launched while injured had been terrifying enough to make him sense death for a moment.

Isaac might think he had lost, but Yuseong thought the exact opposite.

‘What is this, some teenage comics where stronger opponents conveniently appear right when you get a bit stronger?’

The confidence he had gained recently from various opportunities instantly hit rock bottom.

But Yuseong was able to recover quickly.

Though he might be inferior in individual combat power, he had the gynoid and Dragonia.

Once those two were completed, he could more than handle someone at the Three Intermediates level.

“Thank you. If it weren’t for you, Bruce…”

Bang!

Isaac appeared through the door that burst open.

Furrowed brows and tightly pursed lips.

As everyone tensed at the dangerous atmosphere, Isaac’s firmly closed mouth opened.

“I need help.”

“Help? Did you suffer internal injuries?”

“Haah, just turn on your smartphone and go to any site right now.”

“What could possibly…”

The moment he turned on his smartphone and accessed a portal site, the article at the very top caught his eye.

Seeing the shocking content, Yuseong unconsciously read the article aloud.

“…Full-scale invasion of Europe?”